Ceramic manufacture



pri 25, i939. H. R. Franci-WER l CERAMIC MANUFACTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet l jg f Filed Jan, 14, 1938 @mld/525221 zy. i

pri 25, 1939. H. R, FEICHTER CERAMIC MANUFACTURE Filed Jan. 14, 19:58

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 25,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE e i 2,156,149 l y cansino MANuFsc'runs 11mm a; remmer, canton, ohio, ,asimmto United States Quarry Tile Company, Canton. Ohio, a corporation offDela'ware Application January 14, 193s, serial No. 134,983

s claims. (C1. '1e-1s) s The invention relates' to ceramic articles of manufacture, preferablyv blocks, and from 'one standpoint to dry pressed ceramic articles having a limited gas content, and from another 5, standpoint to ceramic articles having a back face and projecting members including portions projecting over portions of the back'face to facilitate the bonding of the block with the material such as cement mortar used for setting such blocks, as in 10 the form of tile, and to methods and apparatus for making such articles.

In dry pressed ceramic blocks as usually made,

a damp ceramic dust mixture with about 6% to 8% water for bonding only is placed in a dry press l apparatus in a pocket which may lbeformed by a metal die shell and a metal bottom die platten.

A top metal dies platten may compress the ceramic dust mixture in the pocket to form the desired dry p ressed ceramic block', which may be a tile,-v

20 and the necessity of squeezing or compressing the air or gas content from the dust mixture inthe pocket during the compression stroke of the top platten, limits the speed of the compression stroke,

ceramic block.

It the gas content of the dry pressed ceramic block is not suillciently reduced by the forming thereof in the dry press, the formed block will be satisfactory elimination yof the gas content ofthe ceramic block being dry pressed.

40 From another standpoint, dry pressed tile are rather than extruded tile, particularly by varchitects, for example for use as oor and wall tile,

where the tile must be uniform in shape vwithin relatively restricted limits primarily for obtaining narrow joints between the tile after setting.

Tile having extremely uniform shapes may b'e made more economically by the dry pressmethod than by the extrusion method.

In setting tile having at back faces, adhesion only bonds thev tile with the setting material, and in the case of relatively dense tile or relatively vitreous tile, adhesion cannot be depended upon ods, processes, steps, apparatus.. combinations, and

to hold the tile in place after setting.

Consequently. in order to obtain proper bond- 55 ing' or engagement of the tile with the setting vdirections parallel with the ribs.

and thus the speed o f form-ing the dry pressed ment with the setting material of the sides or a ceramic blockwhich are frequently desired,"

-.material, usually cement mortar, it is desirable that projecting members be provided on the back face of the tile which engagesor bonds witli thesetting material, such projecting members havin! portions projecting over portions of the back face.. I so that mechanical engagement thereof with the setting material may be effected.l x

Such projecting members in the form of parallel rib ledges are relatively easy of formation by the extrusion process, but prior to the present l0 improvements were considered impossible to produce by the dry press methoddn particular, or press methods in general. o

Moreover. in usual tile having parallel rib ledges protruding from their back faces', the rib ledges).

being parallel with each other, onlyengage the setting material laterally in directions at right angles to the ribs, and there is'no engagement in Also, in usual square or rectangular tile having .A 20 parallel rib ledges, theoutermost ledges may serve tobond or engage the opposite parallel side faces or edges of the tile along which the ledges run,

but the other two end or side faces of the tile not engaged or sealed across their entire width. 85

with the result that the engaging or sealing of the tile is not complete about all sides and/or ends thereof,v and that there is danger of moisture leaking under the unbonded-orunsealed ends or sides and damaging the bonding material beneath- 30 the set tile, and that cracking of the tile is likely to occur. because ot the relatively weak engage-` ends in which the parallel ribs terminate.

The object of the present-improvements includes the'provision of a ceramic. article, usually a block, preferably'having. a limited gas content. and having a back face provided with improved means for increasing the bonding or ensaement of the blockwiththe setting material and also- 40 preferably-with improved means for completely. v

engaging and sealingall the sides, orsides and ends -of the block. Further objects' of the'present improvements include the provision of an improved press method- 43,

for producing vamong other articles the improved" articles hereof, preferably` a dry press method. Furtherobjects of the present improvement in=v clude the provision of y improved apparatus for carrying out the improved methods hereof. The foregoing and other objects are attained byw the ceramic article of manufacture, and the methsub-combinations, which comprise the present infollowing general statement, and preferred embodiments of which togetherwith-their mode of use are setforth by way of example in the following description, and which are .particularly Zand 4distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims formingpart hereof.

In general terms, the improved ceramic article or product of the present invention is preferably in the form of a block, which in the case of a tile, is

usualy square or rectangular, and which may have'.

a glazed front face which is exposed after setting.

,a back face which is bonded in thesettlng material, usually cement mortar, and'polygonal side faces extending between the front face and back face.

According to the present improvements, the

back face has formed thereompreferably by the use of the improved method and improved apparatus.hereof, a plurality lof spaced projecting members which may be generally termed lugs and each having a portion projecting over a portionv of the back face.

The projecting members or lugs may preferably include knobs, each with a peripheral portion projecting in-diierently angledlateral directions over a portion of the back face.

The preferred knobs may be frusto-conical, or

- may be elongated, and when elongated are preferably longitudinally at an angle with each other; and in any event the spaced knobs or lugs, each with a portion projecting over a portion of the back face, provide for bonding the tile in the setting material against displacement in any direction parallel with the back face thereof, orperl pendicular thereto.v

'I'he improved blocks are furthermore preferably provided with additional projecting members or -lugs which may be preferably a plurality of ledges, each having a. portion projecting inwardly over a portion of the back face, and the ledges extending longitudinally cross-wise of the back face and being longitudinally angled with respect to I each other. .n 'Ihe ledges are preferably adjacent the polygonal side facesof the tile, each ledge preferably extending the length of its adjacent side face, and thus the ledges preferably constitute border ledges. .Y

' 'Ihe ledges furthermore are preferably provided for each side face of the tile, and are preferably end connected with each other, preferably at the corners of the block, whereby the back face of the block is engaged and sealed at all of its side edges yielding compression forces which act upon portions only of the mass in the direction perpendicular to the reference plane, and which act upon the mass perpendicularly and also preferably laterally with respect to the reference plane, and then .releasing the compressed mass from the action of.

the compression forces, thereby not only squeezing out and permitting the escape during squeezing of a substantial portion of the gas content of the mass, but providingfor the formation upon `the back face of the block into which the mass is formed of the desired projecting members or lugs having portions projecting over portions of the backface cfr preferably in diiferently angled laterali y. ons.l

-In generali-terms theimmoved apparati of thepresentinj for carrying'out the improved method makingamong other articles the improved; l", products hereof, includes in a usual-press, which-maybe aceramic dry press, relatively movable-Ldie-members having opposed pressureffaces and resilient material preferably in theform of -a resilient sheet member,

preferably a rubber sheet member, secured to and covering a portion of the pressure face of one of the die memberajthe'rubber sheet member preferably havinga plurality of apertures 4formed therein Openfllls'toward the opposed die member..

By wayl creampie-.several embodiments of the improved ceramic articles or products of the present invention,x and one embodiment of the improved apparatus for carrying out the improved method'for. making among other articles the improved articles".l of the present invention are illustrated ,in .the accompanying drawings forming part hereof in which Figure lis a fragmentary isometric view looking at lthebaclrface thereof, of one embodiment of the improved ceramic article hereof in the form of a glazed tile;

`Fig. 2, a fragmentary diagrammatic view with portions broken away and shown in section, illustrating one embodiment of the improvedvapparatus hereof for carrying out the'improved method heregf;v y

Fig.' 3, a transverse sectional view' illustrating a plurality of the tile of Fig. l, in place in setting material, as shown, cement mortar on a concrete base.

Fig. 4, a view similar to Fig. l illustrating a second embodiment of the improved ceramic article hereof, in the form of aglazed'tile,- and Fig. 5, a view similar to Figs. l and 4, illustrating a third embodiment of the improved ceramic article hereof in the form of a glazed tile.-

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

One embodiment of the improved ceramic article or product of the present invention is illustrated in Fig. l, and is indicated generally by I0, and as shown is a glazed tile made by the dry press method, including the present improvements as hereinafter set forth.

'Ihe tile I0 as shown a ceramic yslab or block havingafrontface Il whichisexposedinuseand' which as shown is provided with al finish glaze I2.

In addition to the front face Il the tile I0 includes a back face i3, and polygonal side faces' Il extending between the front face I2 and the back face Il.

As shown, the front face l2 il of the tile i0 are square and equal in area, it being .the usual practice to make the front and back faces of tile either square vor rectangular, and the side faces I4 of the tile Ill are perpendicular to the front face I 2 and themajor plane surface Il of they back face Il, and the side faces Il as shown are rectangular.V

'Ihe back face I3 includes the major plane surface Il and projecting members or lugs Il and I8 protruding'fromthe plane surface I5, each projecting member I'I and Il having a portion projecting over the adjacent portion of the plane surface I5 of thebackface Il.

The specific form of the. projecting members Il shown are frusta-conical 'knobs having conical peripheral surface portions Il flaring outwardly and the back face' from and projecting over the plane surface' Il oi' 1I the back face I3, laterally in differently angled' directions. It is obvious that pyramidal knobs may also be utilized to provideperipheral surface portions projecting laterally in differently angled directions over the plane surface Il.

The knobs I1 are spaced from each other in each of the two right angled directions parallel with the side faces I4 of the tile I0.

The specific form of the projecting members or lugs I8 shown are longitudinally extending ledges, each extending longitudinally cross-wisel of the back face I3, preferably parallel with, adjacent to, and in part continuing from one of the side faces I4. The ledges I8 are each provided with an angled face portion 20 projecting inwardly over the adjacent portion of the plane surface I and angled acutely with respect thereto.

The ledges I8 thus constitute border ledges for the tile I0 and are preferably end connected with each other at the corners 2i of the tile IllA and are preferably provided for each side face I4 of the tile.

The ledges I8 are also preferably spaced fromv the knobs I1.

ed after being set in setting material such ascement mortar 22 upon a concrete base 23.

The tile I8 are formed by the improved method and apparatus hereinafter set forth, as ap-A pliedin the dry press manufacture of ceramic articles, and the tile I8 are all extremely accurate in shape, and the joints 24 between the tile I0 may thus be very narrow.

As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the setting material 22 interlocks or engages with the projecting members or lugs of the tile I0, that is, the knobs I1 and the ledges I8, thereby anchoring the tile Il against displacement in any direction parallel with the plane surface Il of the back face I3, or

perpendicular thereto.

Moreover, the end connected border ledges I8 engage and seal each tile III around all the sides thereof, and thus effectually seal the setting material within the border ledges from water leakage, such as occurs when there is no sealing around the sides of a tile.

Moreover, the improved-tile I0 have a very great bonding strength with the setting material, which may be as strength over the tile area of a 16 sq. in. tile, which ordinarily does not have a shearing| strength of the improved tile I0 is substantially equal to the breaking point of the mortar cement used to set the same.

Moreover, the mechanical engagement of the setting material with all the sides of the tile, substantially 'reduces the breakage whichl occurs when only two opposite sides of the tile are enged- In Fig. 4 is illustrated a second embodiment of the improved ceramic article or product of the present invention. which is indicated generally by IIl, and which isa tile, generally similar to the tile I0, but in the tile I I8 there are provided elongated knobs or lugs II'I, which are parallel with eachpther and spaced from each other sidewise, and spaced from the border ledges III endwise and side-wise, the knobs II'I and the border ledges I I8 each having projecting portions in the form of'angledv surfaces I I8 and |28 which pro' ject over adjacent portions of the plane surface portion Htof the .back-facet n.

In Fig. 5, is illustrated .a third embodiment of '(5 the improved ceramic product of the present inhlgh as 15,000 lbs. shearingover 1000 lbs; and the shearing strength .respect to each other. Moreover, in the tile 2III,

the border ledges 2 I 8 include tongue portions 2 I8a which project toward each other from the opposite border ledges.

The knobs 2I1 and 2I1-I and the border ledges 2I8 each have projecting angled surface portions extending over adjacent portions of the plane surface portion 2li of the back face 2 I3 of the tile 2I0, in a manner similar tothe projecting surface portions of the tile I0 and II Thetitle I0, H0, and 2I0, as above set forth may be produced by the improved method and apparatus hereinafter 'described in detail, and

the present inventor knows of no other method y for press forming the projecting members,v so that the projecting portions thereof are angled acutely with respect to the'plane surface ofl the back face of the tile, and project laterally in diiferently angled directions over the plane surface, either on the same projecting member, or on different spaced vor different spaced and longitudinally angled projecting members.

The improved method of the present| invention includes, subjecting a mass of compressible material to yielding compression forces which act upon portions only of the mass in one reference plane in directions perpendicular and preferably laterally with respectv to the reference plane. After the application of the yielding compression forces, the mass is released from the application of the compression forces.

In utilizing the improved method in ceramic manufacture, by thus forming amass of preferably dry ceramic material by-the use of yielding perpendicular and preferably lateral compression forces, not only is it passible to form the vwhen a mass of ceramic material is compressed between unyielding forces, whereby the speed of forming the articles, preferably from substantially dry ceramic dust mixtures is substantially increased by the present improved method as compared with the speed of forming the same by the use of non-yielding compression forces.

Ill'he improved method hereof may be carried out by the use of the improved! apparatus of the present invention, one embodiment of which is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 2, andis indicated generally by 3l.

The apparatus 38 includes die members forming a die pocket 3I,.and the die pocket forming members may be rigid metal shell members 32 having inner side faces 33, forming a square or rectangular opening in which fits a bottom die platten member 34 having an upper pressure face 3B. The bottom die platten member 34 may be Vmovable by reciprocation into and out ofthe by reciprocation into the die pocket 3|, the upper die member 36 having side faces '31 tting the side faces 33 of the die pocket 3|, and a lower pressure face 38 opposite the 'upper pressure face 35 of the lower die member 34.

The upper die member 36 and the lower die member 34 are preferably-metal and are thus substantially rigid.

A sheet of resilient material 39, preferably sheet rubber material, is secured upon the lower pressure face 38 of the upper die platten member 36. The resilient sheet member 39 may be secured to the upper rigid die member 36 as by glue or by other means.

The resilient sheet member 39 covers a portion vonly of the surface of the pressure face 38 of the upper die platten member 36, the resilient sheet member 39 having side faces 40 which are perpendicular to the lower plane pressure face 38 2 being shaped to form successively the frustov of the upper die member 36. The resilient sheet member 39 also has formed therein a plurality of apertures 4| which are spaced from each other, and which as shown in the apparatus 30 are cylindric when the sheet member 39 is uncompressed, the resilient member 39 as shown in Fig.

conical lugs and the ledges I8 of the improved blocks I0.

Inusing the apparatus 30 to carry out the improved method hereof, a mass of compressible material is placed in the die pocket 3|; and ln the manufacture of ceramic blocks by the dry press method, the compressible material may be a substantially dry ceramic dust mixture, with a 6% to 8% water content.

The die shell members 32 and the lower die platten member 34 are maintained stationary with the mass of ceramic material in the pocket 3| thereof, and the upper die platten member 36 is moved under pressure into the die pocket, and the resilient sheet member 39 secured upon the pressure face 38' of the upper die platten member 36 yieldingly impinges the upper portion of the mass of ceramic material in the die pocket 3|; and upon further` advancing of the upper die platten member 36 towards the lower die platten member 34, the resilient sheet member 39 becomes distorted and applies yielding compression forces upon the mass of ceramic material not only in a direction perpendicular to the reference plane 38, but also laterally with respect to the reference plane 38, the side faces 40 of the resilient member 39 and the cylindric faces of the apertures 4|- therein becoming angled with respect to the reference plane or compression face 38 of the rigid metal platten 36, and forming respectively the angled faces 20 of theledges I8 and the angled faces I9 of the lugs I1 of the tile I0,

thegupper faces of which are formed by the 4rigid pressure face 38 of the upper die platten member 36. I

The mass of material in the die pocket is thenl released from the pressure of the die members,

by withdrawing the upper die platten member 36 from the die pocket 3|, whereby the resilient sheet member 39 resumes its shape as shown in the withdrawn position of Fig. 2, and clearance vis provided for permitting removal of the same from between the formed ledges I8 and lugs'IIA with the overhanging angled Yprojecting faces A20 and rI9 thereof.

The articles thus formed by carrying out the improved methodhereof on the improvedapparatus hereof, may besubject to further usual manufacturingsteps. Y

For example, in Fig. 2, the improved apparatus 30 is illustrated as arranged for forming the ceramic block I8, which after forming is subject to other steps of tile manufacture, which may include drying,'glazing, and burning.

By providing suitably shaped sheet members for the apparatus 30, the tile ||0, 2|0, or other similar tile may bevformed thereon.

The application of the yielding pressures as above described by the resilient preferably rubber sheet member upon the rigid die member of the improved apparatus, provides for a relatively rapid squeezing out of gas content of the dry ceramic mixture being formed between the opposed pressure faces ofthe die members of the improved apparatus. Each of the embodiments I0, ||0, and 2|!) of the improved article or product, and the embodiment 30 of the improved apparatus of the present invention, are illustratedand described herein onal side faces bounding the back face, and

border ledges for more than two of the side faces, each border ledge being adjacent a side face and having a portion projecting inwardly over a portion of the back face.

2.A A ceramic block having a back face, polygonal side faces bounding the back face, 'and border ledges for each of the side faces, each border ledge being adjacent a side face and having a portion projecting inwardly over a portion of the back face, each border ledge extending the length of its adjacent side face, and the border ledges being end connected with' each otherat the corners of the block.

3. A ceramic block having a back face, polygonal side faces bounding the back face, and border ledges, each border ledge being adjacent a side face and having a portionrprojecting inwardly over a portion of the back face, and a plurality of lugs protruding from the back face, the lugs being spaced from each other and from the border ledges, and each lug having a portion projecting'over a portion of the back face.

4. A. ceramic block having a back face, polygonal side faces bounding the back face, and border ledges for each of the side faces, each borderledge being adjacent a side face and having a portion projecting inwardly over a portion of the back face, each border ledge extending the length of its adjacent side face,-,and the border ledges being end connected with each other at the corners of the block, and a plurality of lugs protruding-v from the back face, the lugs being spaced from each other and from lthe border ledges, and each lug having a portion projecting over a portion of the back face.

5. A ceramic block having a back face and 'a plurality of elongated ledges each having a portion projecting inwardly overa portion of the back face, the ledges extending longitudinally cross-wise ,of the back face and being longitudinally angled withy respect to each other.

6. `A ceramic block having aback face and a pluralityof ledges each having' a portion projecting inwardly over a portion of the back face, the ledges extending longitudinally cross-wise of the back face and being longitudinally angled with respect to each other, and the ledges being end connected with each other.

7. A ceramic block'having a back face and a plurality of spaced lugs each having a portion projecting inwardly over a portion of the back, face, the lugs being elongated cross-Wise of the back face and being angled with respect to each other.

A ceramic block having a back face and a plurality of ledges each having a portion projecting inwardly over a portion of the back face, the ledges extending longitudinally cross-wise of 'the back face and lbeing longitudinally angled with respect to each other, and a plurality of knobs protruding from the back face, the knobs being spaced from each other and from the ledges, and each knob having a peripheral portion projecting over a portion of the back face.

9. A ceramic block having a back face and a plurality of ledges each having a portion projecting inwardly over a portion of the back face, the ledges extending longitudinally cross-wise of the back face and being longitudinally angled with respect to each other and being end connected with each other, and a plurality of knobs protruding from the back face, the knobs being spaced from each other and from the ledges, and

each knob having a peripheral portion projecting l over a portion of the back face.

HAROLD R. FEICHTE'R. 

